"Before You Sign: A Consumer's Guide to Mobile Home Parks in the Twin Cities (2014)"

Welcome to “Before You Sign: A Consumer’s Guide to

Mobile Home Parks in the Twin Cities”

There comes a point, for some people, when renting seems pointless and wasteful. You are sinking money into a place that will never be yours. If you've decided to look for something a little more permanent, you may have considered the option of buying a manufactured home (more commonly known as a mobile home).

Mobile Homes Are Affordable

In many cases, manufactured homes can be the most affordable housing option. Used homes usually sell for $30,000 for newer ones down to only a few hundred dollars for older ones. You can buy a mobile home for what you would spend in a month just on rent.

Chances are, if you find a manufactured home that affordable, than it is in a park. That means several big differences from buying one on its own land. You will be paying “lot rent” to the park owner every month. But, even then, the lot rent can still be less than what you would pay in an apartment or house renting situation. So financially, living in a mobile home park can still be a very good option. But, not all parks are the same and not every one will be right for you.

Find the Right Park for You

It is important to fully evaluate which park is the right fit for you, because buying a manufactured home, despite the common name “mobile home,” can become a fairly permanent decision. Manufactured homes can be costly to move and, as a result, only 19% are ever moved from their initial placement. If you decide to move, you have the legal right to sell your home in place in the park, but the process can sometimes take a while.

That is the reason behind “Before You Sign: A Consumer’s Guide to Mobile Home Parks in the Twin Cities.” Before you buy a home and sign a lease in park, make sure it is the right one for you. Is it in the right community? Does it offer the access you need to jobs, schools, transportation, and shopping? Does it provide services and amenities you require? Are the “park rules” acceptable to you?

Do Your Homework

“Before You Sign” likely doesn’t provide all the information you want, but it will hopefully offer a good place to start. It is a first of its kind guide to all the parks in the Twin Cities metro area with standardized information for you to compare, suggestions on questions to ask, and contact information for each of the parks.

Park neighborhoods can provide affordable housing, sustainable home ownership, and a tight knit sense of community. Hopefully, this guide will help you decide if moving into a park is the right choice for you.

We hope you will send us a message to let us know, if this guide proves helpful. If you think of ways it can be improved, we hope you will also let us know. We plan to update it annually. You can send comments and suggestions to info@allparksallianceforchange.org.

Best wishes,

Dave Anderson
Executive Director

Become an Advertiser -- "Before You Sign: A Consumer's Guide to Mobile Home Parks in the Twin Cities"

Dear Potential Advertiser:

Manufactured home parks can provide affordable housing, sustainable home ownership, and a tight knit sense of community. But not all parks are created equal. They can vary dramatically in appearance and maintenance, services and amenities, “park rules,” and access to jobs, schools, transportation, and shopping.

It is important for families to carefully evaluate which park is the right fit for them. Buying a manufactured home, despite the common name “mobile home,” can become a fairly permanent decision. The homes can be costly to move and, as a result, only 19% are ever moved from their initial placement. If a family does decide to move, they have the legal right to sell their home in place in the park, but the process can be slow and difficult.

That is why APAC is producing “Before You Sign: A Consumer’s Guide to Mobile Home Parks in the Twin Cities.” It is a first of its kind guide to all the parks in the metro area with standardized information for families to make comparisons, suggestions on important questions to ask, and contact information for each of the parks.

Our plan is to produce it as a free, ad-supported publication. As someone committed to manufactured housing, we are asking you to consider advertising in the inaugural edition, which will be published in February 2014.

Coming Soon -- "Before You Sign: A Consumer's Guide to Mobile Home Parks in the Twin Cities"

Coming in 2014!

Welcome to “Before You Sign: A Consumer’s Guide to
Mobile Home Parks in the Twin Cities”

There comes a point, for some people, when renting seems pointless and wasteful. You are sinking money into a place that will never be yours. If you've decided to look for something a little more permanent, you may have considered the option of buying a manufactured home (more commonly known as a mobile home).

Mobile Homes Are Affordable

In many cases, manufactured homes can be the most affordable housing option. Used homes usually sell for $30,000 for newer ones down to only a few hundred dollars for older ones. You can buy a mobile home for what you would spend in a month just on rent.

Chances are, if you find a manufactured home that affordable, than it is in a park. That means several big differences from buying one on its own land. You will be paying “lot rent” to the park owner every month. But, even then, the lot rent can still be less than what you would pay in an apartment or house renting situation. So financially, living in a mobile home park can still be a very good option. But, not all parks are the same and not every one will be right for you.

Find the Right Park for You

It is important to fully evaluate which park is the right fit for you, because buying a manufactured home, despite the common name “mobile home,” can become a fairly permanent decision. Manufactured homes can be costly to move and, as a result, only 19% are ever moved from their initial placement. If you decide to move, you have the legal right to sell your home in place in the park, but the process can sometimes take a while.

That is the reason behind “Before You Sign: A Consumer’s Guide to Mobile Home Parks in the Twin Cities.” Before you buy a home and sign a lease in park, make sure it is the right one for you. Is it in the right community? Does it offer the access you need to jobs, schools, transportation, and shopping? Does it provide services and amenities you require? Are the “park rules” acceptable to you?

Do Your Homework

“Before You Sign” likely doesn’t provide all the information you want, but it will hopefully offer a good place to start. It is a first of its kind guide to all the parks in the Twin Cities metro area with standardized information for you to compare, suggestions on questions to ask, and contact information for each of the parks.

Park neighborhoods can provide affordable housing, sustainable home ownership, and a tight knit sense of community. Hopefully, this guide will help you decide if moving into a park is the right choice for you.

We hope you will send us a message to let us know, if this guide proves helpful. If you think of ways it can be improved, we hope you will also let us know. We plan to update it annually. You can send comments and suggestions to info@allparksallianceforchange.org.